Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

　When she got a little older, her father was kicked out of the Nakiri family by her grandfather because of her misguided education, and that's when she officially came into contact with Japanese cuisine.

　Having been influenced by French cuisine before, coupled with Azami Nakiri's improper education, Japanese cuisine seemed particularly simple and lacking in character to her, making her have no desire to learn it at all.

　Later, as she grew up to be fourteen, she met Hakubuchi, who had just arrived at Totsuki Culinary Arts. Under his guidance, she gained a new understanding of Japanese cuisine and began to view its advantages and disadvantages dialectically.

　At the same time, she also realized that there is no absolutely useless culinary system in the world, only useless chefs who cannot make good use of it!

Chapter 280 Kawabika Forfeits the Competition, Finalists List

　"Let's not talk about these things while we're eating, the satay noodles are here!"

　Alice Nakiri did not join the group's discussion; her gaze remained fixed on the kitchen behind them, her face revealing a strong sense of anticipation.

　"Satay noodles are here!"

　Eat it while it's hot, it tastes really good!

　Just then, a clear and bright voice came from the kitchen. Although the old man was old, he walked briskly, calling out as he carried a plate of four steaming bowls of satay towards Bai Yuan.

　"It's finally here! It looks delicious!"

　Erina Nakiri pulled out a few pairs of chopsticks and distributed them to the people at the table. Lately, because she had been hanging out with Bai Yuan and the others, she had been frequenting these small, unassuming restaurants.

　A year ago, Erina Nakiri could never have imagined that she, who used to be extremely picky about the ingredients served in high-end restaurants, would now be so looking forward to the food at a small street-side eatery.

　The person who changed her personality was the young man in front of her, Bai Yuan.

　"Eat it quickly, you can already clearly feel how delicious it is just from the aroma."

　Feeling the strange gaze from Erina Nakiri, Bai Yuan smiled faintly and then looked down at the satay noodles in front of him.

　The orange-red satay soup had a slight sheen of oil, with a few golden garlic bits and bright green chives floating on the surface.

　Tender pink shrimp, white squid rings, and plump oysters float among the ingredients, accompanied by fried tofu soaked in broth and smooth alkaline noodles. Just looking at them makes your mouth water!

　Besides that, there's the irresistible aroma.

　The piping hot satay broth releases a rich aroma of peanuts, dried shrimp, and garlic, along with the sweet and savory scent of seafood.

　The aroma of garlic, the freshness of chives, and the richness of satay sauce intertwine in layers, captivating the senses of the group even before tasting the food.

　Scoop up a spoonful of satay sauce, and the salty, savory, and slightly spicy flavor bursts on your tongue. The unique richness of peanuts blends perfectly with the sweetness of seafood, and the aroma of minced garlic lingers in your throat. It's rich yet not greasy.

　Bai Yuan picked up a piece of shrimp and took a bite. The firm, bouncy texture of the shrimp meat immediately filled his mouth, and a sweet juice seeped out as he bit into it. This juice, combined with the rich aroma of the satay sauce, enhanced the umami flavor even more. The squid was crisp and tender, with slightly curled edges. Dipped in satay soup, it was sweet and savory, becoming more fragrant with each chew—absolutely amazing!

　He ate quickly, swallowing a large bowl of satay noodles without even leaving a drop of soup in the bowl. Bai Yuan's face was full of enjoyment.

　There's nothing more satisfying than enjoying a big bowl of juicy and flavorful satay noodles after watching a game!

　Everyone else was also eating with satisfied expressions, their eyes filled with surprise. They clearly hadn't expected to find such delicious food on the street, and their bellies were all round from eating.

　After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, they leaned against the wall like Ge You in a relaxed pose, while Bai Yuan got up to pay the bill. Next to them, Nakiri Alice looked at the owner and asked him a question.

　"Boss, your skills are so good, you could easily be the head chef at a big restaurant, or at least be in charge of the noodle soup.

　Why forgo a fancy restaurant and instead open a small, sparsely populated shop in such a remote location?

　Alice Nakiri voiced her doubts, her face filled with curiosity.

　Although the satay noodles made by the old man in front of me are not top-grade, they are still a superior quality among first-grade dishes, which shows the old man's skill.

　Such a talented chef would be highly sought after anywhere; he shouldn't be buried in such a small place!

　If you're retired and have nothing to do, then opening a small shop is a way to pass the time.

　But looking at the faded, patched clothes he was wearing, he didn't seem like the kind of well-off old man who had nothing better to do than look for something to do.

　He most likely opened this shop to make a living.

　Why would an elderly man with such strength be reduced to running a small shop in a place that can't even be considered a street corner? It's behind that satay noodle chain store, and he probably doesn't get many customers all day!

　"Sigh, this is a long story, and the situation is a bit complicated. It won't do you any good to know, so please don't ask any more questions."

　The old man opened his mouth as if he wanted to tell them his troubles, but after hesitating for a long time, he didn't say anything in the end and just sighed.

　"It's okay, tell us what you've been through. Maybe we can actually help. Even if we can't be of much help, we can still be good listeners."

　Bai Yuan's voice rang out, and he sensed from the old man that there seemed to be more to the story.

　Although I'm too lazy to deal with these trivial matters, since I've already asked, I might as well get to the bottom of it and see if I can be a good person for once.

　Given Bai Yuan's current size, managing this matter shouldn't be too difficult for him.

　After all, he is the youngest seven-star chef in history. As long as it doesn't violate any principles, everyone is willing to give him face.

　"Actually, it's also my fault. I was too impatient when I was working back then, and I was overly critical of some issues, which offended the son of the head chef at the restaurant where I worked."

　Looking into the sincere eyes of the young man before him, the old man hesitated for a few seconds before finally speaking.

　Over the years, he has been suppressed by his peers and fallen to this state. Only he knows the bitterness he has suffered. Now that someone is willing to listen and let him speak out about what has been weighing on his mind, it is a good thing.

　If it weren't for the fact that he has a granddaughter studying at university in this city and needs a lot of money, he would have moved to another city long ago.

　Three years ago, the head chef's child came to work as a kitchen helper at the hotel where I was working.

　That kid was really amazing. He reached the level of a first-class chef at such a young age, the same level as me at the time.

　Looking back now, it's very likely that his resentment towards me stemmed from the fact that I, being of the same rank, dared to openly criticize him, putting him in an awkward position.

　Sitting opposite Bai Yuan, all the girls in the store gathered around out of curiosity.

　"Could it be because you criticized him on the cooking issue, but because the chef's level is too low, he thought you were not qualified to criticize him, so he got angry and had his father kick you out of the kitchen?"

　But wouldn't that be too hasty? Fire a long-time veteran over such a trivial matter? The others wouldn't be satisfied.

　Alice Nakiri pinched her chin and murmured, guessing the general reason from the few words she uttered.

　What she didn't understand was, wouldn't driving away a veteran kitchen employee who had worked hard but hadn't made any significant contributions, just because a newcomer was driving him away? Wouldn't that cause resentment among the other veteran employees?

　After all, if you can drive this kid away today, you might drive me away tomorrow. If we don't work together, the kitchen will definitely be in chaos in the future.

　"You overestimate human nature."

　Just then, Bai Yuan's voice rang out, showing no surprise at the old man's fate.

　That's just how the world is.

　If they weren't facing a threat themselves, most people would choose to stand by and do nothing; those with backbone are ultimately a minority.

　Humans are always like this: they don't care if it doesn't concern them, until one day it's their turn and they realize that there's no one around to help them anymore.

　"It's probably because I wasn't well-liked in that kitchen."

　The old man pulled out an old pipe from somewhere, took a deep drag, and a faint melancholy expression appeared on his face.

　If he weren't so meticulous in his daily work, unwilling to compromise on any dish and expecting others to do the same, which caused many people in the kitchen to be unhappy with him, and in the end no one would speak up for him.

　"This world is really..."

　After that, didn't you try looking for work elsewhere? Even the most powerful head chef at a restaurant can't influence everyone.

　Looking at the silent old man who only knew how to smoke, Alice Nakiri shook her head, then asked with some curiosity.

　Even for a master chef, completely blocking the job search path of a first-class chef would probably not be an easy task.

　"I tried, but I was kicked out before I could even open my mouth."

　On the one hand, I'm too old, and they were afraid something might happen, so they didn't dare let me do it.

　On the other hand, that guy made a call that even if a restaurant was willing to hire me, I wouldn't last more than a month before being fired by the boss.

　Later, when he ran out of money, he knew he couldn't just sit around doing nothing, so he opened a satay noodle shop in this alley where the rent was cheap.

　Okay, that's my story. I'm so glad you chose my noodle shop.

　The old man flicked the ash from his pipe, put it away, and then looked at the guests not far away, smiling as he went forward to greet them.

　"It's getting late, let's go back."

　As he spoke, Bai Yuan stood up from his seat and gave a wink to the people around him, signaling them not to disturb the boss's business and to leave quickly.

　"So full! I'm satisfied now!"

　As they left the satay noodle shop, a coquettish voice rang out from among them. Yoshino Yuuki rubbed her belly and made sounds of enjoyment.

　"Indeed, the ingredients are high-quality, the price is fair, and the taste is comparable to that of a high-end hotel. It's been a long time since I've encountered such a conscientious business!"

　Erina Nakiri's voice was filled with emotion.

　She used to think that the world's food was simply divided into delicious and bad.

　However, when Bai Yuan learned of this idea, he seriously criticized her and told her that you get what you pay for.

　A bowl of Chongqing noodles that costs four yuan is delicious as long as the ingredients are fresh. But a set meal at a high-end hotel that costs tens of thousands of yuan is unpalatable if the seasoning is even slightly off.

　Specific problems require specific analysis, and Bai Yuan taught Nakiri Erina through his own actions.

　Although she is still greatly affected by the taste of God's Tongue, she is now able to view food dialectically and discover its merits.

　"Indeed, such a meticulous and conscientious person should not be buried in this kind of place."

　Bai Yuan nodded slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face.

　Although the old man's words were only his side of the story, judging from his appearance and the short time they spent together, Bai Yuan believed that the old man was definitely not a bad person. He decided to have his subordinates from the Dark Cuisine World try to make contact with him later.

　If the old man is short of money, then let the people in the Dark Cuisine world send him money. Once he is willing to join the Dark Cuisine world and undergo special training at their headquarters, his remaining life may be given a second spring, and he may suddenly become a master chef.

　"It seems you've already come up with a solution, Boss Bai."

　Beside her, noticing Bai Yuan's appearance, Liya smiled and spoke.

　"Go back first."

　Bai Yuan didn't answer, but quickened his pace, and soon the group returned to the stadium.

　The stadium was bustling with excitement, and everyone's face was filled with anticipation.

　Some even bought popcorn and other snacks from who-knows-where, just to enjoy the treats while watching the game.

　"Oh no, I should have bought some snacks on the way here."

　Seeing this, Alice Nakiri's face immediately showed a regretful expression. She began to hate herself for forgetting something so important, even though she had thought about it that morning.

　"A match lasts three hours. If you haven't bought any snacks, just watch the match carefully. No matter who wins, the one who remains will be your opponent in the next match. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory."

　Bai Yuan raised his hand and tapped Nakiri Alice's little head, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.

　The finals are just around the corner, and this little guy isn't thinking about how to win the championship, all he thinks about is eating.